Reaction propulsion toy



Dec 29, 19.59, I R. .1. JOHNSON 5 REACTION PROPULSION TOY Filed Nov;-14, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR ROBERT J Jam sow ATTORNEY Dec. 29;1959 R. J. JOHNSON 2,918,751

7 REACTION PROPULSION TOY F iled Nov. 14, 1957 a '4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ROBE RT J. JOHNSON AT O v R. J. JOHNSON REACTION PROPULSION TOYDec. 29, 1959 Filed Nov. 14, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ROBERT J.JOHNSON 29, 1959 R. J. JOHNSON 2,913,751

' REACTION PROPULSION TOY Filed Nov. 14,1957 I 4 SheetS -Sheet 4III/I/I/I INVENTOR ROBERT J JOHNSON ATTORNEY United States PatentREACTION PROPULSION TOY Robert J. Johnson, Richmond, Va.,,assignor, bymesne assignments, to Scientific Products Company, Rich,- mond, Va., acorporation ofvirginia Application November 14, 195,.7,,Serial: No. 696,

5. Claims. (CI; 46- 4).

This invention relates to a reactionpropulsion toyv and more,particularly to a new and: improved reaction propelled toy rocket andlaunching devicetherefor.

It is a particular object of this; invention to provide a, toy reactionpropulsion rocket. which simulates in appearance, operation and flight:an: actual ballistic missile without the inherent complexity. of suchdevices.

It; is afurther object of the. invention to provide such adevice whereinthev reaction. propulsion engine thereof is of. the. cold discharge typethereby providing a safe amusement and educational device for children,Itis a further object ofthepresent invention to provide such a toy thatis relatively simple in construction and operation, that may be reusedfor plural flights by merely recharging the reaction. engine. andwherein the angleof flight and distanceof operation may be varied withinwide latitudes. i

It is a further object to provide a novel reactionengine for atoy rocketwherein the internal pressures developed within the device areeffectively; maintained within the pressure limits of theconstructionmaterial.

A further object is to develop. Such a device wherein the period of timerequired to develop operating pressures; within the rocket isrelatively. short.

These and other objects and advantages are provided by a;toy--r ocketwhich generally comprises an elongate hollow bodyportion having a closedforward end and an open,rear wa rd end, a reaction motor.releasablymounted in the; rearward end of the, body portion, said motorincluding a ring having a Venturi. passage extending therethrough, a;basket releasably; secured. to the inner end of the reaction motor ring;said basket being provided with a plurality of slots extending throughvthe side walls thereof, and launching means forthe toy rocket includinga peg, one end, of said peg adapted to snugly engage the Venturipassage, in said reaction. motor, and latch means releasably holding thepeg within the Ven-v turi passage.

The-novel features of the present'iinvetion will be more apparent tothose skilledin theart from the following detailed description of theinvention inreferenceto the accompanying drawings; wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the improved reaction propulsion toyof; the invention; including its launching platform;

Fig. 2a isan exploded view in, partial; section; of: the. missile andits motor components;

Fig. 2b is an exploded view-of a-portion of the launching mechanism for;the missile shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional;v view through the,

missile and its; motor components;

Fig. 4 is; an enlarged fragmentary: sectional view through the assembledmissile and: launching platform therefor;

Fig. 5 is a section substantiallyon line-5-5 of Fig. 4;-

Fig. 6 i813. section substantially on line-6"6' of Fig. 3

1 Figa'his a-section-substantiallyonlinefl-l ofFig. 3;-

p 2,918,751 Patented; Dec. 29,. 1959 ice Referring to the drawings theillustrated embodiment of'the invention generally comprises a reactionpropulsion rocket 10 which includes a body portion 12 having a reactionmotor releasably secured therein and generally designated 14, rocketrelease mechanism 16 and launching structure 18. Each of these elementsof the structure of the invention will be separately describedhereinafter.

The body portion 12 of the rocket includes an elongated shell 20 havingan open rear end 22, and an 'inwardly tapered forward portion 24carrying a resilient nose piece 26. As more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of'the drawings, the nose piece 26 is secured to the forward end 24 of theshell of the rocket by a pin 28 secured in a bore in the nose. The pin28 includes a forwardly projecting boss 30 which snaps into a recess 32in the resilient nose piece 26;'

At the rearward end of the body-portion 20 the rocket is provided with aplurality of stabilizing fins 34 which may be formed as an integral partof the shell 20-or bonded thereto by welding, cementing or the like.small toy rockets necessitating the employment of thin lightweightstabilizing fins 34, the fins may be provided with suitableribsgenerally designated 36, preferably extending parallel tothedirection of flight of the rocket to reduce the tendency of the fins tobend in flightwhich would reduce the accuracy of the flight of the toy.

In the preferred formof the invention, the body 20 and the fins 34,including the ribs 36, are cast of a tough plastic such as nylon orcellulose derivatives. Particularly satisfactory results have beenobtained by using cellulose acetate-butyrate.

The rear end of the body of the rocket is provided with an adapter ring38 having a shoulder 40 adapted to abut the peripheral edge of therocket. The internal surface of the adapter ring 38 is convenientlyprovided with partial threads 42 adapted to mate with cooperatingpartial threads 44 carried on the external surface of the nozzle portion46 of the motor 14.

The nozzle portion 46 of motor 14; as more clearly shown in Figs. 2a, 3and 4, includes an outlet which communicates with a constricted opening52 which, in turn, communicates with the interior of the rocket throughbore 54. The bore 54, the constriction 52; the bore 50 and the outlet 48cooperate to define a Venturi' passage through which the fuel maintainedunder pressure in the body of the rocketissues during the flight of therocket as to be more fully described'hereinafter.

The external cylindrical. surface of the nozzle 46 is provide with ashoulder 56'. which abuts the extended edge of the motor retainer ring38 when the cooperating threads 42 and 44 are fully engaged as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. The external surface of the nozzleis also provided with aperipheral groove 58* adapted to receive a conventional resilient O ring60 which maintains. a fluid type seal betweenthe inner surface of themotor retainer ring 38 and the external surface of the nozzle 46 whenthe motor is in place in the rocket body. A further groove 62 isprovided adjacent the most forward? portion of the nozzle 46 whichgroove is adapted to receive a basket 64; provided with inwardlyprojecting elements 66 which snap into the groove 62 to maintain thebasket 64 in axial extension from the nozzle 46' as more clearly shownin Fig. 4.

The basket 64 is adapted to receive the fuel or a; portion thereof forpressurizing; the rocket and is generally cylindrical in form and isprovided with a plu-.

rality of longitudinally extending slots 68 which permit; communicationbetween the interior of the basket and --2,91s,751 p p the interior ofthe rocket. The lower end of the basket 64 is also provided with aplurality of openings 70 of substantially larger size than thelongitudinally extending slots 68 hereinbefore described.

The basket 64 and they-nozzle 46 may also be conveniently molded fromplastic, and very satisfactory results have. been obtained by moldingthe. parts. from cellulose acetate-butyrate.

The releasemechanism 16- for the rocket, asmore clearly shown in -Figs.2b and 4, comprises a cylindrical standard or peg having'a reducedcylindrical end portion 72 of a diameter slightly less than the bore 50in the nozzle. Forwardly of the portion 72 of. the standard is provideda peripheral groove 74 adapted to receive resilient ring 76, Fig. 4,which provides a fluid tight seal'between the outer surface of thestandard 72 and the inner surface of the bore50 of the nozzle.

Forwardly of the peripheral groove 74 is a further reduced extended endportion 78 having a diameter which snugly fits into the bore 52 of theconstricted portion of the rocket nozzle. The standard 16 is alsoprovided with a pair of radial bosses 80 which cooperate with a pair ofbosses 82 projecting inwardly of the outlet ring 48 of the nozzle. Theradial extension of the cooperating bosses 80 and 82 are such that whenthe reduced end portions 72 and 78 of the standard 16 are inserted intothe bores 50 and 52 of the nozzle as shown in Fig. 4 the cooperatingbosses 80 and 82 limit the extent of roation of the standard 16 withinthe bores of the nozzle whereby the motor may be screwed into and out ofthe motor retainer ring 38 by turning the standard 16.

The standard 16 is also provided with an upstanding boss generallydesignated 84 which receives a latch pin 86. The latch pin 86 is mountedbetween the flanges 88 of the boss 84 by a pivot pin 90. The extendedend of the latch pin 86 is provided with a cutout portion 92 adapted tobe received about a flange 94 on the nozzle outlet 48. The otherextended end of the latch 86 is bored to receive a release cord 96 whichpasses through a bore 98 in the standard 16. To complete the latch pinassembly a spring 100 is positioned between the flanges 88 of the boss84 to urge the pivotally mounted latch pin 86 into latched engagementwith the motor outlet nozzle ring 94.

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the spring 100for urging the latch member into engagement with the extended end of therocket motor is of the leaf-type spring. However, coil springs or othersuitable means for biasing the latch member may be employed withoutdeparting from the present invention.

The rearwardmost end of the standard 16 is reduced in cross-sectionalarea and preferably quadrangular in shape. The quadrangularly shaped endis adapted to be freely insertable in a corresponding quadrangularopening 104 in the rocket standard launching socket 106. As more clearlyshown in Fig. 2b and Fig. 9, the quadrangular opening 104 in the socket106 is provided with one or more axially extending grooves 108 whichgrooves provide weep holes for liquid or air within the passage 104 topermit the free insertion thereinto of the end portion 102 of the peg16.

The lowermost end of the standard socket 106 is bored as at 110 toreceive a pivot pin 112 whereby the standard socket 106 is pivotallymounted to the launching platform base member 114 between the upstandingflanges 116 carried thereby. The lowermost end of the standard socket106 and the upstanding flanges 116 are provided with cooperating bosses118, 120, 122 and 124 whereby the pivotal movement of the standardsocket 106 upon the base member 114 is limited to a range of from about90 to about 45 from horiozntal.

The base member 114 of the launching platform 18 is further providedwith an axial bore 126 adapted to receive a pin 128 freely passedthrough the bore 126 4 and into the ground which aids in maintaining thelaunch-- ing.platform.114. and .its rocket mechanism in rocket launchingposition. The entire platform and its rocket also may be convenientlyrotated about the pin 128 to vary the heading of the rocket.

The fuel for the rocket comprises a suitable acid preferably in thesolid granular form, a gas generating compound and water. Verysatisfactory results are obtainable with a fuel charge of citric ortartaric acid, a bicarbonate snchas sodium bicarbonate and water. Inoperation of the rocket, the rocket is disassembled as shown in Fig. 2aof the illustrated embodiments of the invention. The basket 64 is thenfilled with a bicarbonate and an acid in granular form. Verysatisfactory results are obtained when the basket is filled with 3 cc.of sodium-bicarbonate and 2.5 cc. of citric acid. The acid andbicarbonate charge is in the granular form with the size of the grainsusually less than the width of the slots 68 in 'the basket adapted toreceive the combined citric acid sodium bicarbonate charge of 5.5 cc. Itwill be appreciated that with a slot width of .04 inch and with thegrain size of the acid-bicarbonate charge smaller than .04 inch that thecharge would not normally remainin the basket. In order to contain thegranulancharge within the basket upon initial operation of the rocketthe internal surface of the basket is wetted. When the dry citric acidand sodium bicarbonate is placed in the basket having its inner surfacewetted the dry powders or grains form bridges across the slotspreventing the remainder of the charge from passing through the slots.

The body of the rocket 12 is then filledwith from aboutfiZS to about 30cc. of water where the rocket is about 7 inches inlength and has amaximum internal diameter of about 1 inch and a total internal volume ofabout 75 cc.

"the charged basket 64 is then snapped on to the nozzle mounting ring62, the release mechanism 16 is assembled to the motor as shown, forexample in Fig. 4, with the latchbar 86 in engagement with the latchring of the nozzle. The basket, nozzle and release mechanism is thenassembled to the rocket body 12 so that the cooperating parted threads42 and 44 are fully engaged and the shoulder 56 of the nozzle is inabutting relation to the peripheral edge 38 of the motor mount 22.

The rocket is then inverted and the lowermost end 102 of the releasemechanism 16 is inserted into the slot 104 of the standard socket106. Assoon as the rocket Y assembly is inverted the water placed within thehousing of the rocket. comes in contact with the acid-bicarbonate chargewithin the basket. The substantial width of the plural slots 68 in thebasket and the large openings 58 at the lowermost end of the basketpermit very rapid reaction between the dry sodium bicarbonate and citricacid. v

It has been found that with a rocket constructed as hereinabovedescribed, the charge generates a pressure of about pounds per squareinch within the shell of the rocket in about 1 minute where thetemperature of within the rocket body acting upon the surface 134 of theforward end of release mechanism 16 forces the rocket off'thereleasemechanism and the carbon dioxide and water contained within the body ofthe rocket are forced through the reaction engine creating thrust whichsends the rocket soaring into the air.

It has been discovered that with a rocket constructed as detailed in theabove example containing from about 25 to about 30 cc. of water; havinga fuel charge of about 3; cc. of sodiurn bicarbonate and 2.5 cc. ofanhydrous citric acid and with the rocket positioned at an angle of fromabout 55 to about 60 to the horizontal a rocket flight of about 150 feetwill result. It has also been determined that in such a flight therocket will travel at a maximum speed of from about 40 to 50 miles perhour.

From the foregoing description of this invention, it will be appreciatedthat the size and exact configuration of the rocket may be variouslymodified and that as the weight and size of the rocket is increasedproportionate increases in the sodium bicarbonate-acid charge would benecessary in order to properly propel the device. Further, the amount ofcharge to be added to the basket may conveniently be in weightquantities. For example, if the total volume of the basket 64 is about5.5 cc., the weight of sodium bicarbonate would be 2.5 grams and theweight of anhydrous citric acid would be 2.2 grams.

While enlarging or decreasing the overall size of the rocket and itsmotor will require larger or smaller quantities of bicarbonate-acidcharge, the slot width 68 in the basket should be maintainedsubstantially constant to insure adequate bridging during the initialoperation of the device and also a rapid reaction to provide maximumpressure within the body of the missile in a relatively short period oftime.

Where shorter reaction periods are desired to generate the rocketlaunching pressure with the body of the rocket, the acid portion of thecharge may be dissolved in the water in the body of the rocket and onlythe granular sodium bicarbonate placed in the basket. When thisprocedure is employed, it is advantageous to provide the rocket of theexample with a basket which will only contain, for example, 2.8 cc. orapproximately 2.3 grams of sodium bicarbonate. The citric acid may thenbe added in excess directly to the body of the rocket as a solutioncontaining approximately 3 grams of the acid. It has been found that byusing 3 grams of citric acid dissolved in 25 cc. of water in the rocketbody and with the basket containing 2.3 grams of granular sodiumbicarbonate a pressure of about 95 pounds per square inch will bedeveloped within the rocket in about one minute. Again, however, thedeveloped pressure is maintained well below the bursting strength of therocket body as the quantity of sodium bicarbonate is limited by thecapacity of the basket.

Having described my invention in its preferred and modified forms, whatis claimed is:

1. A toy rocket comprising an elongate hollow body portion having aclosed forward end and an open rear- 6 ward end, a reaction motorreleasably mounted in the rearward end of the body portion, said motorincluding a ring having a passage extending therethrough, a basketreleasably secured to the inner end of the reaction motor ring,'saidbasket being provided with a plurality of slots extending through theside walls thereof, and launching means for the toy rocket including apeg, one end of said peg shaped to snugly engage the passage in saidreaction motor, and latch means releasably holding the peg within thepassage.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the slots extending throughthe side walls of the basket have a width of about .04 inch.

3. A toy rocket comprising an elongate hollow body portion having apointed nose at the forward end and stabilizing fins at the rearwardend, a reaction motor releasably mounted in the rearward end of the bodyportion, said motor comprising a ring forming a passage extendingaxially therethrough, a container for a granular gas forming compositionreleasably mounted to the forward end of said reaction motor ring, saidbasket having provided in the side walls thereof a plurality of slots,the width of said slots being about .04 inch, and launching means forsaid rocket including a peg, one end of said peg shaped to be snuglyreceived in the passage in said motor ring, latch means releasablyholding the peg within the passage, and a platform receiving the otherend of said peg for holding said toy rocket in a launching position.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said other end of said pegis pivotally mounted to said platform whereby the launching angle ofsaid rocket may be readily varied.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 including resilient sealing meanscarried by said peg to provide a substantially fluid tight seal betweensaid peg and the passage in the motor ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,347,125 Schneider July 20, 1920 2,594,627 Endicott Apr. 29, 19522,732,657 Krautkramer Jan. 31, 1956 2,733,699 Krinsky Feb. 7, 19562,759,297 Lewis Aug. 21, 1956 2,771,212 Eifinger Nov. 20, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS 161,579 Australia Mar. 1, 1955

